Processing international travelers for immigration and other purposes is a complex risk management function. The vast majority of international travelers are law-abiding citizens, however some travelers present risks for security, illegal immigration, narcotics smuggling, and customs revenue evasion (to name a few). Given the volume of travelers, the finite availability of control authority resources, and the constraints on time available for passenger processing, border agencies face significant challenges in identifying potentially risky travelers without delaying legitimate travel and trade
The collection of pre-departure electronic data on travelers is emerging as the foundation of modern immigration control and border management. This approach is beneficial because electronic travel records can facilitate the implementation of a variety of automated functions, including watchlist checks and risk analysis, before passengers arrive. The analysis and presentation of this data also enables frontline immigration officers to be more effective during primary and secondary inspections. The combination of identifying risks earlier in the travel cycle and performing more effective primary inspections improves the processing time for arriving flights and facilitates international travel
Hence, there exists a need in the industry to overcome these problems and provide a method and system for accessing and processing data related to watchlists. Additionally, there exists a need in the industry to allow skilled border protection resources to focus on better assessing travelers rather than on paperwork requirements.